The two young princes were walking on the forest that surrounded the borders of Falancia. The two of them were walking carefully, as they didn’t know much about the landscape. Even if Star was able to memorize the old maps of Falancia that he had found on the library of the Light Castle, the truth is, despite time was frozen on that kingdom, one couldn’t imagine the changes that could have been done.
And it was not just the environment. They didn’t know what they would encounter as they advanced even further into Falancia. Who knew what kind of dangers or enemies they would encounter... Of course Star would be able to sense any danger approaching and it was not like he and Bramble wouldn’t be able to defend themselves. However, for the sake of their mission, it was for the best that they used that first moment inside the cursed kingdom to scout the dangers in it and figure out a way to save it.
After a while walking, Bramble said:
“You know, I don’t know what is worse: the fact that we may be attacked at any moment or that we haven’t found trouble at all.”
“I know what you mean” Star said. “We are basically walking blindly here.”
“Are you sure we are going on the right direction?” Bramble asked.
“Not exactly...” he said. “We should be near a town or something... It’s important we found one so that we can access what happened in Falancia.”
“So... did you get any information about what may have happened?” Bramble asked.
“Not much...” Star replied. “The Light Kingdom only had information prior the curse. The only thing I got was some curious facts about their culture, resources... things like those. Oh, and that the last known rulers were a king and a queen called Nightshade and Delicacy.”
“I heard about them...” Bramble told. “For what I’ve heard, they were kind rulers. Do you think that they were the ones to curse their kingdom? Or that someone else took over?”
“Both very big possibilities” Star replied. “I guess we will have to wait to...”
But he didn’t end what he was saying, because Star sensed something nearby. It was a couple of sources of negative hostile emotions. Reacting to that, he brought himself and Bramble to a hideout and used his magic to conceal them.
“What is it?” Bramble asked.
“I felt something approaching” Star told.
The two of them remained quiet for a moment and so they heard movement, along with steps. When the source of those sounds revealed itself to them, both Star and Bramble got quite surprised by what they were seeing.
“Pony-wolves?” Bramble asked, as he saw two of them appearing in their wolf form. “But... how is this possible? I thought that Shadow Claw was the only pony-wolf.”
“An alpha pony-wolf can be created through curses and then create their own pack” Star told. “Shadow Claw was the only alpha in the Pony World, but I always thought that there were others in other realms. Apparently, the ones in the Enchanted Forest are in Falancia.”
“Yeah, but... don’t they just turn during the full moon?” Bramble asked. “Shadow Claw is different because the Lord of Order gave him the ability to access his wolf form whenever he wants.”
“Maybe someone also granted them the same power” Star replied.
They cowered a little more in their hideout as the pony-wolves got closer. The two princes could see they were looking for something, since they were both sniffing as if trying to find a scent.
“Haven’t you found anything?” one asked to the other.
“No... what about you?” the other asked back, as the first pony-wolf nodded with his head. “Seriously... why did the boss told us to find these supposed intruders?”
“Quiet” the first pony-wolf growled at his companion. “We don’t question the boss... especially when he got a royal command.”
“But it’s not like anyone is dumb enough to even dare to face us” the second pony-wolf replied.
“Just... try to carry out the orders the best you can. Do that and we won’t have anything to worry about.”
The second pony-wolf just rolled his eyes and the two of them continued their search and, soon enough, they started to move away from Star and Bramble. When they were at a safe distance, Star undid the concealment spell and he and Bramble got out of their hideout.
“Did you hear that?” Bramble asked, nervously. “They know that we are here...”
“Whoever is giving orders must have a way to detect the presence of intruders in case someone manages to penetrate the barrier” Star commented.
“Star... I don’t know if I can do this...” Bramble said, with his breathing starting to get a little erratic and some electricity started to appear on his antlers. “I mean... there are so many variables... so much we don’t have control on... What if...”
“Bramble, relax, okay?” Star said, as he placed a hoof over his friend’s shoulder. “We can do this, together. This is not the first time I have to solve things without knowing what to do, remember? Look, what about we just explore just a little more and then we go back?”
The young deer prince took a deep breath, calming down and making the electricity to disappear, and then he nodded with his head.
The two of them continued their way until they reached a small village. Keeping their distance, they observed as they saw as the ponies there were living their lives as if nothing was wrong.
“It’s hard to believe these ponies have been living their lives for centuries without even realizing they are stuck in time” Bramble commented, as he and Star observed hidden by some bushes. “I mean... don’t they realize that time goes by and they don’t age?”
“Apparently, the Dark Curse is able to distort the sense of time of the ones that fall victim of its effects” Star told. “They can see the days passing... they just don’t realize how many of them have really passed.”
“Creepy...” Bramble said.
At that moment, Star could feel his empathy acting out again. However, this time it was different. He could actually feel a much bigger threat approaching... and this time it was not as subtle as the two pony-wolves from before. The land beneath them was trembling as they heard the sound of gallop of very heavy hooves. The ponies of the village, sensing that, started to panick. Terror invaded their faces, as all of them started to line up at the side of the road that crossed their village.
And so a squad of stallions dressed in black armor appeared. Star and Bramble were able to pick up from the villagers that they were the Black Knights. They were galloping, leading and making way for two of them that were pulling a black carriage with silver ornaments. The knights that arrived first to the village started to rudely keep the villagers in line or bringing the ones that were trying to evade the line up.
It was then that the carriage arrived, with Star and Bramble being very attentive to it. Most likely they were about to meet the one that casted the curse. After the knights pulling the carriage stopped, the doors opened and a unicorn mare appeared from it. She had a gray coat and a chestnut mane carefully arranged and adorned and with a silver crown perfectly placed. She was wearing an elegant and yet practical black dress with red accents and blood red shoes. Her brownish red eyes transmitted a very fierce look capable of piercing through anyone.
She descended from the carriage, closing the door behind her with her magic, and then started saying, as she advanced towards the villagers and walking by them:
“Listen to me very carefully... Whatever squalor and despair your pathetic little lives have been able to tolerate until this point is nothing compared to the pain and misery I can inflict, if I leave here unhappy.”
Making a pause to look around, she then continued:
“You will help me. After all... it is the duty of peasants to serve their queen.”
“Your Majesty... Queen Delicacy...” an old stallion humbly said, while carefully coming up from the line to talk to the queen. “We are a peaceful village. We have lived our lives doing nothing but to serve dutifully both you and your family. What can we possibly give you that we already do?”
“Well, if you are so dutiful, then you won’t mind answering one simple question” Queen Delicacy said. “Do any of you have found any outsider coming from outside of our kingdom?”
That question was met with nothing but silence, something that clearly upset the queen, judging for the little twitches on her face.
“I will repeat the question” she said, with a much threatening voice. “Do any of you have had any interaction with an outsider from outside of the kingdom?”
Again, silence was the answer she got. Taking a deep breath, Queen Delicacy said:
“Very well... I will take the silence has your way to say you haven’t seen any outsider. And I very hope you are telling the truth. Because, if I find out anyone in this village has been sheltering any invaders of my domain, they will suffer dearly. To give you a demonstration of what can await you, let me show what happens to those who defy the orders of the ruler of this land.”
Summoning her magic, she made appear one earth mare that soon was grabbed by a pair of Black Knights. The mare had a very terrified look on her face, as if knowing what would await her. The villagers all got very shocked looks, with the mothers quickly covering their foals’ faces.
“This mare has disrespected your queen’s benevolence by trying to desert our wonderful kingdom, the most magnificent of all the Enchanted Forest” the queen told, as she approached her. “She much prefers to join... savages that desire nothing but our ruin... savages that I was able to repel using nothing but my powerful magic. Now, to that I call treason...”
“Help me!” the mare shouted, begging for help to the villagers. “She’s going to kill me!”
But the villagers didn’t dare to say or do anything, so much was the fear they had for the queen. Queen Delicacy quickly arrived to the mare and made her hoof pierce through her chest. Both Star and Bramble knew what kind of magic that was. It was the magic that allowed one to rip hearts.
“Oh, I am about to do much more than just kill you, my dear.”
Seeing that, Star was ready to interfere and save that innocent mare, but he was stopped by Bramble who put a hoof over his best friend’s.
“You can’t do that, Star.”
“But... we can’t just let that poor mare...” Star started.
“I know that, but if you do it, we will be discovered” Bramble said.
“So what?” Star asked. “We can handle them. We have already faced much worse.”
“Maybe... but then our mission would become more difficult” Bramble told. “Not to mention... we would have the other villagers caught in the crossfire.”
Despite the immense desire to save an innocent pony from dying, Star couldn’t help but realize that Bramble was right. However, he couldn’t help but try to find a way to save that mare’s life all while preserving the secrecy of their mission and not drag the other villagers into a fight that was not theirs.
Back at Quita Moz’s nest, Golden Paladin was still waiting for the quetzalcoatl to allow entrance to him. He had stayed in the same spot all night. It was then that the entrance to the nest was unblocked and Quita Moz emerged, while stretching his body.
“Now that was a good night sleep!” he exclaimed, noticing then Golden Paladin. “Please tell me you didn’t just stand there all night. I know you don’t have to sleep, but you could have at least gone for a walk. Serenety Valley is very beautiful during the night.”
“I am not here for sight-seeing, remember?” Golden Paladin told. “I am here because...”
“Yeah, yeah, I know...” Quita Moz told. “Can’t it just wait until I have my breakf...”
But seeing Golden’s stare, Quita Moz hasted to said:
“Apparently not... Okay, let’s do this then. And, by the record, if my predictions get unprecise because I didn’t eat anything before them, that’s on you.”
He let Golden Paladin enter his nest, as the quetzalcoatl positioned himself in front of his fire pit.
“So... what do you want me to see in the flames, exactly?” Quita Moz asked, as he lighted up the fire.
“More about the vision you had about me” Golden Paladin told. “Princess Gleaming Shield told me all about how I would need to make a choice that could change everything for the order of Creation and, once I have done that, I would feel that I had fullfilled my duty as General of Peace.”
Quita Moz made a teasing thoughtful look, before saying:
“Yeah, I do remember saying that.”
“So?”
“So what?”
“What does that mean?” Golden Paladin asked.
“It means... exactly what I told her to tell you and you are now repeating to me” Quita Moz told.
That caused Golden Paladin to release a grunt of frustration and then say:
“You know, for an Oracle, you are quite frustrating.”
“I am sorry, Golden Paladin, but it’s not like I can see exactly what that means” Quita Moz replied. “Predicting the future is not exactly a science, you know? It’s messy... and confusing... and quite surprising... the last one is my favorite, between you and me.”
Sighing, Golden thought that all trip was a waste of time. But now having calmed down a little, he asked:
“Could you at least... try to see if there’s something more?”
“Now, that is something I can do” Quita Moz replied, making a slight smile.
Turning his attention to the fire, he started to consult it.
“Uh-uh... I see... Interesting...”
“So... what are you seeing?” Golden Paladin asked.
“Don’t interrupt!” Quita Moz admonished, while giving a slight slap on Golden’s face with the feathers of his tail. “Very well... I see it now... Golden, I am basically seeing what I have seen previously. However... I was able to see something new.”
“And... what is it?” Golden Paladin asked.
“A lot of mix emotions will be waiting for you” Quita Moz told. “I can see that the pain that you have been repressing through all this time is going to catch up with you. And that emotional turmoil will test you in ways you have never been tested before... it will reveal the truth to you about who you really are.”
Hearing that, Golden Paladin could only get even more nervous about what could be coming.
“For when is this?” he asked. “Can you tell me that much?”
“Soon enough...” Quita Moz replied. “Maybe the wheels have already been put in motion... I guess you will have to wait and see.”
The more Golen Paladin thought about it, the more the General of Peace wondered what could trigger that prediction. It was then that he remembered something...
“Prince Star Knight and his friend Bramble have been called by the Tree of Crisis to investigate the cursed kingdom of Falancia” he said. “Does that have anything to do with your vision?”
“Okay, I think you may have not listened when I said this was not an exact science” Quita Moz said, before changing to a more emphatic tone, seeing Golden Paladin nervous. “I understand that it may not be easy to have a possible threat looming upon you when you have to carry the weight of an entire reality... and even more, on your shoulders. However, I know that you will do great in the end. After all, you are Golden Paladin, the General of Peace, leader of all the Generals of Order.”
That caused Golden Paladin to finally drop a smile and say:
“Thank you, Quita Moz. I really appreciate your support. I guess... I should go. I still need to go visit King Blackavar before returning to the Light Kingdom.”
“Sure...” Quita Moz said, as Golden Paladin advanced towards the exit. “Oh, by the way... Could you do me a favor? When you get to meet the jaquin king, send him my regards... and tell him that what he is planning to do... is a terrible idea.”
Golden Paladin made a confused frown to which Quita Moz replied:
“He will get it... although I doubt he will listen.”
After the General of Peace left, Quita Moz looked again into the fire and said:
“Falancia... the cursed kingdom... the perfect place for fateful encounters... but also the place holding Princess Aurora’s darkest secret. I am curious to see what you are going to do... Golden Paladin...”